A New Perspective on Decluttering

I just finished reading Marie Kondo's book "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" and loved it. It has such a different perspective when it comes to decluttering, and it's message is just what I needed to hear.

Ms. Kondo is very specific in how to declutter, and her advice is somewhat contrary to the messages I've heard from others. I find it intriguing because after more than five years on this journey of pursuing less, I still feel like I'm fighting clutter on a daily basis. Ms. Kondo suggests that if you declutter and tidy your home correctly, it's a one time endeavor. And, according to her, her way is the correct way.

Here are some highlights that I found helpful:

• know why you want to declutter - know your motivation
• order is important - clothes, books, papers, miscellaneous, mementos
• one category at a time - do ALL your clothes, ALL your books, etc. Don't declutter and discard by room or shelf or drawer, do it by category
• hold and handle each item - ask yourself, "Does this bring me joy?"
• declutter/discard first, THEN figure out where everything goes.
• recognize when an item has already fulfilled its role

According to Ms. Kondo, this whole process can take up to six months. She claims that her clients have such great success in following her method that they never relapse into living amidst clutter again. 

The most freeing advice I found was to recognize when an item has already fulfilled its role. For example, I buy quite a few books about motherhood and parenting. Sometimes I read them, but I currently have two on my shelf that I've had for more than a year and have not yet read. When you have something that long, it's not likely you'll get around to it someday. Perhaps its role was to help you realize you don't really want or need to read another book of that topic. Each item you keep or discard can teach you a lesson about what brings you joy.

I enjoyed seeing the Japanese culture and thinking come through this pages of this book. Ms. Kondo actually talks to her possessions, thanking them for their hard work or for their role in her life. I don't see myself doing this, but it does give a new perspective and perhaps attitude towards the possessions we have in our lives. If we have fewer possessions, perhaps we will value and appreciate them more. 

I highly recommend getting your hands on this book and reading its message. It's short and easy to read, and full of general and specific ideas and examples to help motivate you.

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for a review.

for more book info, go HERE

for author bio, go HERE